The iPhone 16 series, Apple’s most recent flagship, is now here and offers a ton of ground-breaking camera improvements.

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have a new 48MP ultrawide camera, which is one of the biggest improvements. This comes after the prior generation’s effective use of a 48MP primary camera that produced excellent image quality.

Additionally, the iPhone 16 Pro has a 5X zoom telephoto camera, which was only available on the Pro Max model. The primary 48MP camera has also seen some noteworthy upgrades.

A first-of-its-kind 4K 120fps video recording capabilities in Apple’s ProRes and LOG video codecs, all in Dolby Vision HDR, is available for video enthusiasts with the Pro models.

Additionally, Apple has included more extensive Photographic Modes that resemble previous and present social media editing fads.

Even though the non-Pro models might not have the same cutting-edge camera hardware, they do get one important improvement: Macro Mode. Thanks to Macro Mode, which is made possible by a slightly quicker lens and an upgraded ultra-wide camera, little details may be captured up close.

Additionally, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus feature a redesigned camera module to support Apple Vision Pro’s Spatial Video feature.

The dedicated Camera Control key is arguably the most anticipated camera-related addition. This creative feature could revolutionize how we use the iPhone to take pictures and films.

All things considered, the iPhone 16 series marks a substantial advancement in iPhone camera technology, providing a host of improvements that will no doubt excite fans of photography and filmmaking, particularly with regard to the Pro iPhones.

Camera upgrades for the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max
A recently developed ultra-wide camera:

At last! Apple has upgraded to a 48MP ultra-wide camera from its previous 12MP model, which it has been using for a long time.

The camera’s 48MP can be used to capture high-resolution photos in HEIF and Apple ProRAW, much like the primary sensor can. However, Apple did not say whether the camera would initially default to 24MP or 12MP photos.

Upgraded primary camera:

At highest resolution and ProRAW, there is no shutter latency:

The new Pro models’ 48MP main camera features a second-generation quad-pixel sensor that does away with shutter lag—the interval of time between pressing the shutter button and the shot being taken—when taking 48MP pictures. This holds true whether you are shooting in Apple ProRAW or the more storage-efficient HEIF format.

Improved video picture stabilization:

Second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video is another feature that the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have, though Apple didn’t spend much time discussing it during the press event. Although it’s unclear how much smoother videos will be as a result, you can guarantee that we’ll test it out before giving it a review.

The standard iPhone Pro now has a 5X telephoto camera:

The 3X telephoto lens that was present on earlier iterations of the iPhone has been replaced with the same 5X tetraprism telephoto lens by Apple on the more affordable iPhone Pro Max.

Still sporting an f/2.8 aperture and 12MP resolution, the telephoto camera’s sensor is the same.

4K video at 120 frames per second:

Users can now record in Dolby Vision HDR at 4K 120 frames per second. Even 4K 120fps video in Apple ProRes and LOG can be recorded with the help of an external storage device.

In contrast, 1080P at 120 frames per second and 240 frames per second, as well as 4K at 60 frames per second, were all supported by the previous year’s iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and devices that came before them.

Apple has added support for 4K 120 frames per second video recording in both standard and slow mode. The fact that you may record without having to select your frame rate beforehand is what makes this update even better. With the new pictures app, users can now modify the frame rate of films after they are recorded.

With the iPhone 16 Pro, you can slow down a 120 frames per second video at the following percentages and frame rates:
50% / 60 frames per second
25% / 30 frames per second
20% / 24 frames per second

Improved microphones to record videos with higher quality audio:

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max now have what Apple refers to be “studio-quality” microphones, enabling better audio quality for recording vocals and acoustics. They even assist with recording Spatial Audio, which is played back through AirPods that have that capability.

A new feature for the audio mix:

The iPhone 16 Pro is now able to distinguish background noise from speech thanks to a new Audio Mix feature. Afterwards, the phone offers you three presets based on the kind of sound you want for your video:

  • Just the sound that is in front of the camera, or what is within the frame, is referred to as being in-frame.
  • Studio mix: reduces reverb and improves clarity of sound
  • Cinematic mix: the sounds of the surrounding environment are kept in the video, but the vocals are amplified to improve speech clarity.

iPhone 16 and 16 Plus camera upgrades:

Camera control:

It is likely the new Camera Control capacitive key that has drawn the most attention among the upgrades. All iPhone 16 versions include Camera Control, which is located at the bottom half of the device’s right side and is ideally positioned so that the index finger of your right hand rests there when you flip the phone sideways.

Camera Control is capable of recognizing various degrees of force in addition to swiping gestures because it is touch and pressure sensitive. Additionally, it contains a little vibration motor that activates with each press. Oh, and sapphire crystal protects it, making scratches easy to get off.

With the iPhone 16 series, you may perform the following tasks with Camera Control:

  • launching the designated app or the camera
  • capturing a picture
  • Taking a video, adjusting the exposure and zoom
  • Changing the depth of field, or aperture
  • Changing vary the photographic style (on Pro models) by sliding through them
    Grid, Social Media format (Social Safe), Rule of Thirds, and Director’s Viewfinder (on Pro models) are useful grids.

You will also be able to use Camera Control in the same manner as a DSLR camera’s shutter button with an update that is scheduled for later this year. The camera can lock focus on the subject and capture a picture with just one light button stroke.

You can see more of what you are capturing and erase any settings by using the new Camera Control key.

At last, non-Pro iPhones can now take macro photos:

The fact that the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus enable Macro Mode, as Pro models have since the iPhone 13, is arguably the most intriguing feature of the devices.

Slightly enhanced ultra-wide camera:

The iPhone 16 non-Pro models’ ultra-wide camera has a new, marginally faster lens with an f/2.2 aperture as opposed to the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus’ f/2.4 aperture.

In addition to the enlarged aperture, there is a 2.6x increase in light transmission due to the pixel size increase from 1.0µm to 2.0µm. In darker settings, this produces better photos. Additionally, it indicates a little bit more bokeh, or background and foreground blur. The extremely wide camera now has autofocus as well.

New camera layout:

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus’s wide and ultra-wide cameras will be positioned vertically to support Spatial Video, which is meant to be seen through the Apple Vision Pro headset. The modification was made because cameras positioned diagonally, like the ones on the most recent non-Pro iPhones, cannot record Spatial Video.

How many cameras is the iPhone 16 equipped with?

The iPhone 16 series and the iPhone 15 range both have the same number of cameras. This implies that the Pro versions come with a triple camera setup, comprising the telephoto, ultra-wide, and primary cameras. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus only have the primary camera and an ultra-wide camera on the back.

All four of the iPhone 16 versions will, of course, have front-facing cameras built right into the screen.

How many megapixels are in the cameras on the iPhone 16?

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max camera megapixels:
  • Main: 48 MP (wide-angle)
  • 48 MP ultrawide
  • Front: 12 MP
  • Telephoto: 12 MP
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus camera megapixels:
  • Main: 48 MP (wide-angle)
  • 12 MP ultrawide
  • 12 MP in front

Specifications of the iPhone 16 camera:

Camera specifications for iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max:

  • Main (wide) camera — 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS
  • Ultrawide camera—48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 0.7µm, PDAF
  • Telephoto camera—12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm, 1/3.06″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom
  • Front camera—12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/3.6″, PDAF, OIS

Specifications of the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus cameras:

  • Main (wide) camera — 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS
  • Ultrawide camera—12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF
  • Front camera—12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/3.6″, PDAF

The new 48MP ultra-wide camera on the Pro versions is the most noteworthy feature among the stats mentioned.

The AF and marginally altered specifications for the ultra wide cameras on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus—which increase their sensitivity to light—are a little less obvious.